Book Review: Selection Day by Aravind Adiga

One of the depressing facts that Aravind Adiga’s Selection Day brings up is that some careers, and by an unfortunate extension even lives, are decided at the age of 14 or even less. At 14, I had no idea what life would be at 15 and the brothers Kumar (Manju and Radha) in this book know that they should be the world’s best batsman and the second best, world here translates to Mumbai Cricket, since that is the extent of their career and this book.

Many an Indian student who faced the aspirations and ambitions of the parents thrust upon him would nod his head in ironic approval with the kind of rigorous routine thrust upon the children. The setting here is Cricket, and batting in particular, where the brothers are fighting for 1 or 2 out of the 7 batting spots places the odds insurmountably high, yet Adiga finds humor in the darkest of the places in creating the grim realities of the life of youngsters who have no chance but to aspire, survive and work hard against the odds. Indeed it is surprising how hilarious Selection Day is, as I found myself laughing out loud at the kind of farcical methods of preparation and the justification behind them that Mohan Kumar, the father, sets out for his kids which also include posing with a bat in hand as a 4 year old, a la Sachin Tendulkar.

Aravind Adiga’s research is immaculate, not in the sense that he throws up numbers and anecdotes about Cricket Matches in the way most books about Cricket tend to do, but in the way a cricketer’s journey is traversed right from the familial beginnings, to the rising through the ranks under an able and determined coach, only to reach a destination that doesn’t seem as coveted to the cricketer as much it was for the men around him.

The father Mohan Kumar is an interesting character, my favorite in the book, as he admonishes his children about the vices, girls and shaving, checks on them every night, working on their techniques, temperament and anything that he feels will help making his sons the best cricketers of the world. For all his efforts, Mohan Kumar, is still hated by anyone he ever comes across, including his own kids who swear to kill him when they come of age, yet he never undersells them and steadfastly negotiates their worth, for they are the last straws he is clutching at, their careers the only thing he has in his life as a slum dwelling chutney salesman. The character is a delightfully devastating portrayal of the ultimate tragicomic.

As much as the father borders on being tyrannical, there are other players interested in the brothers, like the coach Tommy Sir, whose sole aim in life to unearth the next Tendulkar from Mumbai Cricket, and Anand Mehta, an NRI who wants to do a few good things and chooses to invest in the the great nastiness that is Cricket, and a rival cricketer Javed, the love interest of Manju the younger brother, thrown in to complete the circle of obstacles. Above them all, Manju has his own brother Radha to overcome who tries to guilt-trip him into believing that Manju has usurped his place in the team. All of these men overwhelm Manju, who does not seem to be quite adequate with dealing with them, his timid nature and his unease with his own homosexuality and the distance from his mother, make him a loner with no place to go and that shows in the kind of choices he makes in the days leading to the Selection Day.

The book starts three years before the Selection Day, and we all know it that it is going to be a doomed affair even before reading any of the events unfold, only because of our knowledge that the Kumars (all three of them) of the world don’t have a chance of surviving the ordeal and coming out in triumph. There is no mention anywhere if the brothers love playing the game, because that is never considered even an option, much like students taking up engineering or medicine, often clueless as to what they mean. In this particular similarity it resonates with a lot more teenagers around the country. In that sense this is an important book for the average Indian Parent who needs a lesson or two.

Strongly Recommended.

5 India Vs Pakistan ODI Clasics for the Ages

India versus Pakistan Cricket Matches do not need any introduction, endorsements or advertising. They are among the marquee draws in any major ICC event, enhancing the popularity and profile of the tournament. The anticipation and buildup towards each match, now that they are as rare as the overseas Indian Test Victories, can’t just be put down to the obvious sibling rivalry, as both the teams produced some of the greatest matches when pitted against each other, bringing legends to the game and entertainment for the fans and the neutrals alike. 

So, unless you don’t follow the game, or are living under a rock, you would be aware of, and eagerly waiting for the World Cup game against the arch-rivals on 15^th of February. While you are at it, here’s a trip down the memory lane, looking at 5 of the greatest ODI matches played between India and Pakistan. 

1.    India vs Pakistan at Dhaka, Jan 18 1998: The first close game, I saw between the two teams is the third final of the Independence Cup played at Dhaka. Those were the days when Saeed Anwar always used to get the better of Indian bowlers and he gave a pretty assured and brisk start to the proceedings, and with the help of Ijaz Ahmed, Pakistan amassed 314. It was a world record at that time to chase this down, and India started off in an electrifying fashion with a partnership of 71 in 8 overs between Sachin and Saurav. When Sachin departed, it was the time to put the argument that with Sachin India’s hopes sank, and Saurav Ganguly rose up to the occasion with a spectacular hundred, probably one of the best, if not the best, ODI knocks he has played in his career. Robin Singh in pinch-hitter role was an inspired move, much like that of Mongia’s promotion to that role against Australia in Sharjah. Together, they took India closer to the target, but India lost them both with 41 runs still to get under 8 overs. Pakistan sniffed a chance and taking regular wickets, they pushed Indians against the wall to leave them with 3 runs to get off the last 2 balls. Hrishikesh Kanitkar faced the first of them, and India didn’t need the other as he swatted the ball to the boundary, ensuring his place permanently in the minds of the ardent Indian Cricket Fan.

2.    India v Pakistan at Brisbane, Jan 10, 2000: One of the nostalgic joys of watching an ODI is the low scoring thriller, where fielders prowl on to every ball, throwing themselves around trying to save a single, where every dot ball is cheered, and nudges and deft touches produced under pressure gave important singles, and the one who could withstand the pressure eventually got across the line. When two flawed and inconsistent teams met in Brisbane, their desire to win and compete with the skin of their teeth gave us this gem of a match. At 71 for 6 chasing India’s modest 195, Pakistan looked in trouble, but with Yousuf Youhana Indians were never comfortable. He lived up to his reputation and proceed with what he does the best steering Pakistan to 153 before he fell. Saqlain and Waqar shared an unbeaten partnership of 43 in the match which may have ended just like the greatest ODI of all-time, 1999 Semifinal between Australia and South Africa, except that Sachin missed the throw to hit the stumps and Saqlain stole a bye to give Pakistan a great victory.

3.    Pakistan v India at Karachi, Mar 13, 2004: This was India’s tour to Pakistan after a very long time, and it was hyped up beyond expectations with the advertising campaign going in full swing in Televisions across the country. The opening match lived up to all the hype and some more. Put into bat by Inzamam, Tendulkar and Sehwag ripped Pakistan apart in their opening stand of 69 in 9 overs. The scoring rate never got down with Rahul Dravid motoring along to 99 off 104 balls and India amassed 349. It needed another world record to chase it down, and Pakistan started cautiously. While the run rate was kept in check, the presence of Inzamam and Youhana made things interesting. Inzamam in particular played another of his bad-ass ODI classics, lethargic gum chewing and dynamic stroke making intact. In hindsight, it was easier to appreciate his innings, but I swear i hated the man that day. Indians kept their nerve and kept taking wickets, particularly memorable was Mohammad Kaif’s catch to dismiss Shoaib Malik. With 6 runs needed off the last ball, Pakistan needed a Miandad. Incidentally, he was the coach and pointed towards himself urging to emulate him. Ashish Nehra served up a full toss, but Moin could only find Zaheer Khan and India sealed a famous victory. 

As a curious side note, Pakistan did penance of sorts and responded in kind, when Tendulkar played his own classic in a losing cause the very next match.Both Inzamam and Tendulkar were awarded the MOM in these games.

4.    India v Pakistan at Dambulla, Jun 19, 2010: The blessed Asia Cup is the only way India and Pakistan could have played against each other in a Non-ICC event. India and Pakistan were different teams by then, with the retirement of a few popular players and Tendulkar missing out on the tournament, yet in a game between these archrivals, nothing else mattered other than winning the game. Pakistan got off to a decent start and kept the scoreboard ticking for most part of their first innings. It was standard issue ODI batting and with the late impetus provided by Kamran Akmal, they reached 267. India, by then had a pretty strong batting line up, even without Tendulkar, and they seemed to be on course till Dhoni departed in the 43^rd over. The game swung both ways towards the end, and there were some pretty heated arguments between Shoaib and Harbhajan. Raina’s six off Shoaib when India needed 16 off 2 overs was the game changer, but a desperate run out in the last over made it doubtful again. Harbhajan held his nerve and hit a six, and let off an almighty roar, to seal off the match.

5.    India v Pakistan at Dhaka, Mar 2, 2014: Yet another Asia Cup, and yet another nail-biting cliffhanger of a game, only with the roles reversed from the previous game. India batted first and made a respectable 245 riding on fifties from Rohit, Rayudu and Jadeja. Hardly a threatening score, but India’s inexperienced bowling attack is not helped by Dinesh Kartik’s missed stumping of Maqsood. Pakistan were well on target at 200 for 4, when Ashwin took Hafeez’s wicket and India sensed an opening. Wickets fell consistently around Afridi, who chose that day to prove some of his critics wrong. With 10 runs needed off the last over, Ashwin got the wicket of Ajmal to have the No. 11 walking in to aid Afridi. Junaid Khan snared a single to bring Afridi back on strike Afridi sealed the game within the blink of an eye with two wild slogs, each of which went for a six, and Afridi added another tale to his glorious legend. 

P.S: Being an Indian, I can't help being a bit biased and thus made the scoreline read 3-2.

P.P.S: These are only the matches that I saw, the first one was in 1996 World Cup, and does not include the famous Sharjah match where Miandad hit a six off Chetan Sharma on the last ball of the match.

P.P.P.S: These games are listed based on the sheer adrenaline impact each of them have subjected me to. 
Stats Courtesy: ESPN Cricinfo

Gentleman's Game???

When Ranjithsinghji first played leg glance in England, in order to counter his physical disability and turn it into his advantage, the purists of the game were quick to deride him who felt that the way to play the balls going outside the leg was to block them and ask the bowler to “Try that again mate!!”. The game has since then evolved constantly to attune itself to the growing demands of popular entertainment and long since lost most of the old world purity attributed to it, so much so that it is pertinent to ask if Cricket is still to be considered a gentlemen’s game anymore.

The most recent controversy over the Mankading (a term which in itself is notoriously unjustified) of Jos Buttler by Sachitra Senanayake in the last of the ODI series in England raises is the latest in the long list of infamies our beloved game is being littered with, and continues to divide opinion, more among the pundits and analysts than among the viewing public. Having read reactions to the articles written in websites, I have come to the conclusion that the public were more understanding towards the bowler, and his right to exercise the option of removing the bails if he considers the non-striker gaining unfair advantage by backing up too far. It is not a sight that they want to witness more often, but they get along with it just fine. While the Sri Lankan captain Matthews defended his bowler, his English counterpart bemoaned the dismissal, which again is expected, if not entirely appropriate, of them both.

What irks me the most is the constant “Spirit of Cricket” debates these incidents generally invite in the post-match analyses. The phrase itself is ambiguous and inconsistent in its definition as perceived by various teams, and is invoked rather selectively to suit their needs and as a means to fling thinly veiled barbs against their opponents.

If you browse casually through the most popular Cricket videos, the chances are that a sledge fest between Starc and Pollard or a Gambhir and Afridi are likely to be higher than any of the sublime knocks by Martin Crowe, Hashim Amla or Rahul Dravid. That should say a lot about the generation of fans watching the game and their expectations from it and the players have done nothing to quell these perceptions, they only added to the theatricality of the game. For the modern viewer, terms like Spirit of Cricket, Moral and Ethical dilemmas in Mankading, debates about the legality in bowling a Doosra are about as much relevance as a well-judged leave outside the off stump in an IPL game.

In their current stature, as per my opinion, no team across the world has the right to claim itself playing in the true spirit of the game, if at all such a thing existed. Every team is an offender in one way or other, be it with their delaying tactics, sledging, doctoring of pitches, not walking, ball tampering, claiming dubious catches, excessive appealing and many such notorieties.

To view any of these things in isolation and to blame the particular individual or the team is to miss the bigger picture, that of Cricket ceased to be played in a vaguely defined and almost confusing term called “Spirit”, but is susceptible to and played within the laws of what is acceptable and what is not, in the wake of increased public view, pressure, expectations and stakes. It is probably a cynical view, but is not far from reality and an adequate portrayal of the times we live in, where the end is almost always justified, the means be damned.

Cricket is no longer a gentlemen’s game probably because there aren’t (m)any playing it, and certainly because there aren’t any watching it.

Sachin Tendulkar: One Last Expectation

As a youth, when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi wanted to go to England in pursuit of higher studies, it is said that his mother made him promise her that he would never smoke, touch alcohol or women. The concern might be borne from her acute fears of what the big bad world may suck her beloved son into, but when I read the story in my ninth standard academic text I did not feel anything. Yet, in her exact shoes, I find myself today, after Sachin Tendulkar has decided to retire from playing International Cricket. I shudder to think of what we as a country will lure him into doing after Cricket and I wish he never leaves the ground, where I’m certain he will find peace indefinitely.

Sachin Tendulkar has given us moments of immense pride and joy all through his career and there have been deservedly glowing tributes showering him with affectionate praise all over the internet, yet when I think of him today, the innings that continues to haunt my mind was his gritty 91 made against England at The Oval in 2011. It was not his usual flamboyant or chanceless innings, but one that was replete with plays-and-misses, half chances, thick edges, getting beaten and surviving close calls. The way he played Graeme Swann on that day, treating every delivery like an interrogation of his skill, endurance and effectiveness. The image of him walking away from the wicket after each ball, expression as impassive as ever, dragging his bat along or resting it on his shoulders, so as not to let Swann rush through his overs, walking back to the crease to defend more tentatively, was so disturbing and powerful that it made me wonder for the first time if the end indeed was nearer than I imagined. Yet, he endured the survival, the embarrassment, while his partner, a lesser celebrated batsman, Amit Mishra looked at relative ease, all because he never wanted to give up what he loved doing the most, that is to play Cricket.  It was not the most defining innings of his career, actually quite far from that, but it certainly was one which showed us his love for the game, so much so that when he was adjudged LBW off Bresnan he never wanted to walk back from the ground, despite his struggles in it.

As a person, Sachin Tendulkar may evoke respect but his personality is far from being considered fascinating. He looks out of place in any attire other than his jerseys and whites, and his words were always too simple, his praise measured and his demeanor never allows anyone to know what actually goes on in his mind, there probably is nothing other than the thoughts about his next practice session or game. However, once he gets on to the ground, he expresses himself emphatically and the communication with us is always certain, undeniably emotional, almost romantic. Words are never needed and can never do justice to the way he connects instinctively to everyone tuned into the game or watching him live, as if in his trademark straight drive he says that all is well with the world and asks us to accompany him in his journey. We are only too grateful for the offer Sir. We always were.

The recent developments in the country in particular and general ways of the world in general, made me a bit cynical and might have turned me into a bitter person, but Tendulkar always remained the only beacon of optimism. I have always wanted the best of everything to happen to him on the Cricket field, whether it is wishing every innings of his to be a century, or watching him to bowl leg spin more often, or take stunning catches. I don’t want him to be one of us, not that he would become one, though I don’t think we can offer him a better place than a Cricket Ground.  

As the great man walked back into the pavilion for one last time, a silent tear welled up in my eye, as deliciously salty as it was when I saw him holding the World Cup in 2011, but I’m equally worried about what he might walk into.  Is he equipped to face the challenges the other side of the world has for him? What lies next for him and if he will be able to cope up with life after Cricket? These are daunting questions and though I’m a lot younger than him, I cannot help the fatherly concern, rising within, of a man towards his most favorite son about his future.

It is said that Mahatma Gandhi never broke the three promises he made to his mother and I wish Tendulkar’s mother makes him promise not three but just one. Never to stop playing Cricket.

V V S Laxman: A Tribute

Even the most fanatic of the devotees of Sachin Tendulkar would agree that he was not the best captain of India, however the best thing that have happened in his tenure inarguably should be the inclusion of VVS Laxman in Indian Cricket team.  India went ahead to win the series against the Proteas where Laxman made 51 on his debut in second innings and showed the promise of the lot to come. I still remember him chanting mantras while facing the likes of Donald and Pollock when India toured South Africa later that year. Laxman always made big runs in domestic circuit playing longer innings and this helped him immensely in the years that followed making him the most vital player under crucial circumstances.

Watching Laxman bat you would be forgiven for thinking Cricket to be an art for his pristine stroke making always makes sense and the elegance and grace with which the shot is executed was always a delight. He was a batsman for the purists whose impeccable repertoire has all the shots in the book that were played with his characteristic flare. His 69 against Australia helping India win the test match in Mumbai on a dust bowl and the 96 against South Africa in 2010 on a green top in Durban were the some of his best knocks where he made look batting easier than it really was in the most difficult and trying of the circumstances and scored important runs. His feet movement may appear a bit lethargic at times but the sweet sound when the ball hits the bat and reaches the boundary made the cycle complete, perfect and a visual treat.

No article about Laxman would be complete without a mention of the 281 against the Aussies in Kolkata for it has changed the way Test Cricket was played and seen in India completely and for the good of the team. It was as perfect a David Vs Goliath as can ever be imagined as India took on the might of Australians trailing by 294 and following on. It underscored the importance of Test Cricket in India and is hugely instrumental as an inspiration in India’s rise to become the World No 1 Test team. No Cricket Lover can forget the day as Laxman and Dravid walked off the field unbeaten and the image continues to inspire youngsters all over the country not only for the obviously phenomenal Cricketing achievement but also as the emblem of perseverance and hard work ending in appropriate results.

Another lingering moment of his illustrious career was against the Aussies again as Laxman admonished quite visually (which was very unlike him) for not having taken a run. It was the last wicket and he was batting along with a runner to get India home in a brilliant Test Match at Mohali. It meant he took pride in performing against the best and also valued the success of the team along with his performance. It would not be entirely farcical to say that not many of the Indian batsmen could have pulled that game off.

Among the other skills that separate him from other Indian batsmen, the significant one was the level of comfort he had against the short ball which many of the modern Indian cricketers lack. He seems to have all the time in the world pulling the ball in front of the wicket or hooking from his shoulders and he makes them look effortless exuding a grace which can only be called Laxmanesque. Along with Dravid he formed a formidable slip cordon if not the best for India and was effective for most parts of their career. Though agility was not the best of the virtues that Laxman can boast of, his anticipation for catches has made up for it more often than not. That horrific look of utter disbelief when he was bowled by a late swinging delivery was always a guilty pleasure though it seems to suggest that even the best of them are human.

Thank You Laxman for all the moments of pleasure you have given us in your glorious career and especially for THAT innings against Australia which has made me watch every subsequent test match that India played with a hope of that miracle all over again. 

2nd April 2011: The Tendulkar Story

In many ways, the Indian World Cup Victory on April 2nd 2011 was a fitting end to what can be called The Tendulkar Story ignoring the fact that the man's career itself has not ended.It would be difficult to say, what was the most striking aspect in a ODI World Cup Victory, that fascinated Sachin Tendulkar the most, for the man devoted himself to the cause for 19 years starting from 1992 to 2011 with utmost dedication, putting in his most passionate efforts(arguably more than what he would have done in a Tri-Series game). But, the way the events have unfolded game after game across the continents is no where short of becoming a biopic, one that has all the twists and turns to become an interesting one at that.

The year was 1992 and a 8 year old boy was looking at the portable balck and white television screen willing Ravi Shastri and Sanjay Manjrekar to get out soon, so that he can watch his favorite player in action. He knew nothing about cricket or its legacy, Gavaskar or Kapil Dev, but the words Benson and Hedges, Sachin Tendulkar rang in his mind so much so that he used to wake up early in the morning to catch the action. The cheer in the household at THAT Ajay Jadeja's catch to dismiss Allan Border still holds a special place in his heart. He was not so much interested in the World Cup once India were out and eventually Pakistan won it, nor was he versed with the fact that the next world cup in 1996 would be in India where a delight awaited him.


1996 world cup saw Tendulkar stamping his supremacy over the world in becoming the highest run getter of the tournament. He has shown his class and the innings in each of the league matches except that against with Zimbabwe were a pleasure to everyone, so much so that the nation dared to look at retriving the coveted cup after 13 years. The Quarter Final against Pakistan was an absolute cracker of a match, probably the best Ind-Pak game the boy has ever seen in a world cup.India arrived at Calcutta, being named big time favorites and were truly on course banking on a majestic 65 from the master. But things turned and how. The match though ended abruptly, was a major scar on the boy's psyche, that he cried in bed that night and refused to eat food for the entire next day before hunger eventually got the better of him. Probably during this time, the desire for his country to win the Cup became more fervent after seeing how close they were to achieving it, more so to the master batsman than to the then 12 year old young man watching him.

Tendulkar was made the captain of Indian Cricket team, following the phenomenal world cup success, but it is the emergence of Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly that were proved important to Indian teams' winning ways leading to the 1999 Cricket World Cup. The action then in England, with the ball swinging in both directions and Pakistan with their group of talented bowlers made good use of the conditions to obtain a finals berth, though they never really turned up for that encounter. For India, that tournament had little to offer except the victories against Pakistan and England, but the match that hurt them throughout was the close defeat against Zimbabwe. Tendulkar had to suffer the unfortunate demise of his father though he never made that a deterrent to his ambitions. Other than a hundred against Kenya, he was largely ineffective in that edition, a statistic reflected on the team's performance as well.

The lead up to 2003 World Cup in South Africa could not have been worse with the team's dismal performance on New Zealand tour. India have managed a moderate victory against Netherlands and suffered badly against Australia, causing a huge outrage among the fans back home. But, the team turned things around with comfortable victories against Namibia and Zimbabwe. The victory against England was a huge morale booster and then came the epic which saw THAT six off Shoaib Akhtar. India reached semi finals, with vicotries against Kenya, Sri Lanka and Newzealand in Super Sixes but more importantly, the team has come out of its huge dependence on one man. Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly shared equal responsibility in the victories, often ensuring Tendulkar to play his flamboyant Cricket. The hype over the 2003 World Cup final was huge as comparisons and analyses running wild but Australia was simply unbeatable in that tournament with many of their greats in their prime form and they proved too mighty an obstacle to overcome. Thanks to the absence of T20 Cricket the target of 360 in the final was never chased with a conviction specially after the dismissal of Tendulkar in the first over and India had to contend themselves being runners. Then a 19 year young man, more matured than his younger self admitted to himself that the best team won.

2007 edition in West Indies saw many changes in the squad with Greg Chappell, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar forming the core team of decision making. Those were turbulent times in Team India, something that the players themselves do not want to look back to. The team was mauled by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka's bowling was too good for India. The only moment of success was against Bermuda which proved rather insignificant, the records tumbled notwithstanding. Tendulkar was not opening again, a rather curious pattern to be noted(1992-League stage, 1999- Quarter Finals 2007 -League Stage) (1996-Semis, 2003-Finals 2011-Won). It does not take a genius to guess where the master wanted to bat in ODIs.

I think the failure of 2007 World Cup made Tendulkar to panic a bit. He immediately voiced his desire to play in the 2011 world cup and even he raised his game to such a level that he had the best phase of his career all over again. This phase saw India becoming Number One Test team, BUt Tendulkar had his eyes firmly set on the World Cup in INdia, and he adjusted his schedules by giving up T20 Cricket, taking care of his body so that he would be at his best when the situation demanded. Every Indian Victory in 2011 World Cup in India was a riot, with the fans going into a frenzy and beleiving their team had a real chance. The beauty of 2011 edition, was that no team was really dominant and each of them had their own flaws and demons to deal with. South Africa who could have been a real threat to India, defeating them in league stages were out of the tournament in Quarter Finals thanks to some spirited performance on field by the Kiwis. India, on the other hand, reached finals in a dream run. The matches against Australia and Pakistan were what can only be termed as a bliss from an Indian Fan's perspective.Tendulkar, contrinuted two hundreds in league games, though India never won them and a match winning but hugely flawed 85 against Pakistan. India viewed the finals against Sri Lanka as a blessing in disguise as the two teams played against each other quite a lot those days and India were the better team then. The looming hndredth hundred milestone in front of home crowd in a World Cup final was a mouth watering prospect but the man disappointed. A 27 year old man was almost in tears, but the class of Gambhir and street smart confidence of MS Dhoni playing his finest knock in the series saw us home. The celebrations knew no bounds as the incredible journey of 19 years culminated in a brilliant victory and brought tears of satisfation to the man who played the ODI game with a single dream in mind and pursued it with a fervour and attained the ultimate Nirvana setting an example for the country and its people to beleive in their dreams and chase them with steadfast commitment. The 27 year old man I turned out to be exactly a year ago,saw the spent up look of joy on his idol's face and learnt something that he would value and try to emulate.